Food holder device

ABSTRACT

Aspects of the technology generally relate to the food holder device that provides improved access to package food items and configured to limit messiness while they&#39;re being eaten. The food holder can enable food to be consumed on the go with one hand and a convenient and tidy manner. In some aspects, a food holder of the subject technology can include an elongate receptacle including a top-opening, a bottom-opening, and a compression retainer disposed within the elongate receptacle, wherein the compression retainer is configured to provide support for a food item inserted into the elongate receptacle.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

The subject technology relates to a food holder device and in particular, to a hand-held food holder configured to facilitate a customer's ability to carry and consume a contained food item.

2. Introduction

Customers increasingly demand more convenient and readily accessible single-serving food products and often prefer that the food be contained within functional packaging. In particular, customer demand has risen for packaged single-serving food items that can be hand-held and consumed without the need for serving plates, bowls, or eating utensils. Packaged food products of this variety have included, for example, pizza, egg rolls, wrapped sandwiches, burritos, pastry wraps, and the like. Such food items are often formed to have a generally elongated shape so that they can be more easily grasped.

SUMMARY

The following presents a simplified summary of one or more embodiments in order to provide a basic understanding of such embodiments. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated embodiments, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements of all embodiments nor delineate the scope of any or all embodiments. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts of one or more embodiments in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

In certain aspects, the disclosed subject matter relates to a food holder that includes an elongate receptacle having a top-opening and a bottom-opening, and a compression retainer disposed within the elongate receptacle, the compression retainer configured to provide support to a food item inserted into and contained within an inner volume of the elongate receptacle.

In another aspect, the disclosed subject matter relates to a food support device configured for facilitating support of a food item, the food support device including a compression retainer having an inner-surface and an outer-surface, and a plurality of depressible petals coupled to the inner-surface by at least one edge.

In yet another aspect, the disclosed subject matter relates to a food holder including an elongate receptacle, including a top-opening and a bottom-opening, a compression retainer disposed within the elongate receptacle, wherein the compression retainer comprising an aperture configured to receive and hold/retain a food item inserted into the elongate receptacle, and a cover removably coupled to the bottom-opening, wherein the cover is configured to facilitate removal of the food item from the elongate receptacle.

It is understood that other configurations of the subject technology will become readily apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, wherein various configurations of the technology are shown and described by way of illustration. The technology is capable of other and different configurations and its several details are capable of modification in various respects without departing from the scope of the technology. Accordingly, the detailed description and drawings are to be regarded as illustrative and not restrictive in nature.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Certain features of the subject technology are set forth in the appended claims. However, the accompanying drawings, which are included to provide further understanding, illustrate disclosed aspects and together with the description serve to explain the principles of the subject technology. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 illustrates a cut-away side perspective view of an example food holder for retaining a food item, according to some aspects of the subject technology.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of an empty food holder device, according to some aspects of the technology.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a cut-away side perspective view of a food holder device that illustrates the use of a cover, according to some aspects of the technology.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side perspective view of an empty food holder device.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a compression retainer, according to some aspects of the technology.

FIG. 6 illustrates a cover for a food holder device, according to some aspect of the technology.

FIGS. 7A-7D variously illustrate examples of a lower portion of an elongate receptacle, as well as different potential methods of attaching said covers that may be fastened to the respective elongate receptacle, according to some aspects of the technology.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The detailed description set forth below is intended as a description of various configurations of the technology but is not intended to represent the only configurations in which the technology can be practiced. The appended drawings are incorporated herein and constitute a part of the detailed description. The detailed description includes specific details for the purpose of providing a more thorough understanding of the technology. However, it is clear and apparent that the technology is not limited to the specific details set forth herein and can be practiced without these details.

An often desired quality of food packaging is that the packaging can be used to facilitate easy transport and handling of a contained food product without requiring the consumer to touch the food with their hands. This can be particularly advantageous where the food item is messy (e.g., sticky or oily) or where the food item temperature is hot or cold. Food carrying devices may also be particularly desirable at venues or locations where customers typically buy food on-the-go, such as at amusement parks, beaches, fairs and/or bazaar, etc.

Aspects of the subject technology address the foregoing need by providing a food holder device that is configured to be hand-held and to facilitate convenient access to a contained food item by a consumer.

FIG. 1 illustrates a cut-away side perspective view of an example food holder 100 implemented for retaining a food product 108. As illustrated in FIG. 1, food holder 100 includes an elongate receptacle portion 102, having an interior volume, as well as a compression retainer 104, and a bottom cover 106. Although elongate receptacle 102 is illustrated as having a substantially circular cross section, elongate receptacle 102 can be configured using other shapes or geometries, without departing from the scope of the technology.

In practice, the elongate receptacle 102 is configured to be hand-held by a consumer, e.g., about an outer surface of elongate receptacle 102. As further illustrated, the inner-volume of elongate receptacle 102 is also configured to contain compression retainer 104 that functions provide mechanical support to an inserted food item (e.g., food item 108). For example, compression retainer 104 may include multiple depressible petals or a compression ring configured to be displaced upon insertion of a food item, such as food item 108. As discussed in further detail below with respect to FIG. 6, the mechanical displacement of one or more of the depressible petals or compression ring causes a restoring force to be provided against the food item 108, thereby stabilizing the food item 108 for ease of carry using the food holder 100.

In the example of FIG. 1, elongate receptacle 102 has a substantially circular cross section, and therefore compression retainer 104 is also substantially circular in shape. However, it is understood that elongate receptacle 102 and/or compression retainer 104 may be of a different shape, for example compression retainer 104 may be multifaceted, without departing from the scope of the technology.

Additionally, elongate receptacle 102 includes a top-opening and a bottom opening. The top opening permits exposure of a food item (e.g., food item 108) so that the food may be consumed as food holder 100 is held by the consumer. As illustrated in the example of FIG. 1, the bottom opening may be optionally covered by a removable cover 106. As discussed in further detail below with respect to FIG. 7, cover 106 permits access to elongate receptacle 102 so that a consumer can access the contained food item via the bottom opening. By way of example, the consumer may remove cover 106 to push food item 108 up and out of elongate receptacle 102, e.g., via the top opening into which food item 108 was originally inserted.

It is understood that food item 108 can be of a substantially different shape, without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Additionally, food holder 100 may be configured to function with additional compression retainers (e.g., two or more compression retainers), without departing from the technology.

The various components comprising food holder 100 (e.g., elongate receptacle 102, compression retainer 104, and cover 106) can be made of similar or different materials. By way of example, any of the component parts can be comprised of a plastic (e.g., food grade plastic), or other materials, including but not limited to: cardboard, various metals (e.g., aluminum and/or aluminum foil), paperboard stock, and/or rubber, etc.

FIG. 2 illustrates a perspective view of a food holder 200 that includes an elongate receptacle 202, and a compression retainer 204, for example, that is disposed within a volume of the food holder 200. In the perspective provided by FIG. 2, no food item is present; therefore, the depressible petals of compression retainer 104 remain undisplaced.

FIGS. 3A and 3B illustrate a cut-away side perspective view of a food holder 300 that illustrates the use of a removable cover 306. Specifically, in FIGS. 3A and 3B, food holder 300 includes a cover 306, for example, which is configured to be removably attached over a bottom opening of elongate receptacle 302. FIG. 3A illustrates an example of cover 306 when attached to elongate receptacle 302. In turn, FIG. 3B illustrates an example of cover 306 as detached from elongate receptacle 302. As discussed above, the ability to remove cover 306 can be used to provide access to a food item within the food holder, for example, to enable a user to remove the item by pushing or pulling it out of elongate receptacle 302, e.g., via either the top or bottom opening.

It is understood that cover 306 can be removably attached to elongate receptacle 302 using any variety of attachment mechanisms. For example, cover 306 can be attached to an inner-surface of elongate receptacle 302 using a threaded fastener.

FIG. 4 illustrates a side perspective view of a food holder device 400. In the example illustrated by FIG. 4, only an outer surface of elongate receptacle 402 is visible. Additionally, cover 406 is attached to elongate receptacle 402, covering a bottom opening of the same.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example of a compression retainer 500, according to some aspects of the technology. As illustrated, compression retainer 500 includes multiple depressible petals (e.g. 504A-504H). In the illustrated example, compression retainer 500 includes a total of eight depressible petals, however, it is understood that any number of depressible petals may be used, or alternatively just a solid, one-piece compression ring without departing from the scope of the technology.

In particular, depressible petals 504A-H are attached to an inner surface of compression retainer 500, and configured to distend towards a center of substantially circular compression retainer 500. As discussed above, each depressible pedal or a single compression ring can be configured to provide resistance upon being displaced by the insertion of the food item. Although compression retainer 500 is illustrated as being substantially circular in shape, it is understood that other geometries can be used without departing from the scope of this technology.

Although compression retainer 500 utilizes a plurality of depressible petals in the example configuration of FIG. 5, other compression mechanisms can be used. For example, compression retainer 500 can utilize a single compression ring, such as a flat membrane or O-ring structure disposed around an inner surface of the compression retainer. It is understood that various other compression mechanisms can also be implemented, without departing from the scope of the technology.

FIG. 6 illustrates a top-perspective view of a cover 600 for a food holder device, according to some aspect of the technology. As further illustrated, cover 600 includes an optional handle 601 that can be used to facilitate attachment and/or removal of cover 600 from the bottom opening of the food holder.

FIGS. 7A-7D illustrate examples of various elongate receptacles 702A-702D, each of which are configured for coupling with a respective cover, e.g., 706A-706D. As discussed above, covers 706A-706D can be configured to removably attach to a bottom opening of a respective elongate receptacle, for example, to secure a food item and to permit convenient access to the food item via the bottom opening.

The covers 706A-706D can be attached to the elongate receptacles using any of a variety of attachment means. As depicted in the examples of FIGS. 7A-7D, the covers can attach to the elongate receptacles using a threaded attachment means. However, other various attachment means may be used without departing from the scope of the technology. Additionally, the covers can be fabricated as single contiguous pieces (e.g., covers 706C and 706D), or they may include multiple portions, for example, that are configured for attachment in layers for covering the bottom opening, e.g., covers 706A and 706B.

The food products that can be packaged and consumed on-the-go using a food holder as described herein are not particularly limited, and can include, for example, processed foods such as churros, ice cream, eggrolls, sandwich rolls, pastries, baked goods, chicken pieces, and so forth. For instance, a packaged food item can be prepared in a rolled-up form, such as a dough enrobed food preparation that includes cheese, meats, vegetables, and/or tomato sauce, or any combination thereof. In some aspects, the food item may be heated or cooled inside the food holder. Additionally, food items may be shelf-stable, refrigerated, or frozen.

It will be appreciated that these devices and methods are novel, as are applications thereof and many of the components, and methods employed and included therein. It should be appreciated that embodiments of the presently described invention can be implemented in numerous ways. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereunto without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the disclosure as set forth in the claims.

The description of the subject technology is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various embodiments described herein. While the subject technology has been particularly described with reference to the various figures and embodiments, it should be understood that these are for illustration purposes only and should not be taken as limiting the scope of the subject technology.

There may be many other ways to implement the subject technology. Various functions and elements described herein may be partitioned differently from those shown without departing from the scope of the subject technology. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and generic principles defined herein may be applied to other embodiments. Thus, many changes and modifications may be made to the subject technology, by one having ordinary skill in the art, without departing from the scope of the subject technology.

A reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically stated, but rather “one or more.” The term “some” refers to one or more. All structural and functional equivalents to the elements of the various embodiments described throughout this disclosure that are known or later come to be known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and intended to be encompassed by the subject technology. Moreover, nothing disclosed herein is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether such disclosure is explicitly recited in the above description.

The previous description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the various aspects described herein. Various modifications to these aspects will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the generic principles defined herein may be applied to other aspects. Thus, the claims are not intended to be limited to the aspects shown herein, but are to be accorded the full scope consistent with the language claims, wherein reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless specifically so stated, but rather “one or more.”

A phrase such as an “aspect” does not imply that such aspect is essential to the subject technology or that such aspect applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to an aspect may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A phrase such as an aspect may refer to one or more aspects and vice versa. A phrase such as a “configuration” does not imply that such configuration is essential to the subject technology or that such configuration applies to all configurations of the subject technology. A disclosure relating to a configuration may apply to all configurations, or one or more configurations. A phrase such as a configuration may refer to one or more configurations and vice versa. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A food holder comprising: an elongate receptacle comprising a top-opening and a bottom-opening; and a compression retainer disposed within the elongate receptacle, the compression retainer configured to provide support for a food item inserted into the elongate receptacle.
 2. The food holder of claim 1, wherein the compression retainer comprises an inner surface; and a plurality of depressible petals fixed to the inner surface, the plurality of depressible petals configured to be mechanically displaced upon insertion of the food item into the elongate receptacle.
 3. The food holder of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the elongate receptacle is substantially circular.
 4. The food holder of claim 1, wherein a cross-section of the elongate receptacle is substantially rectangular.
 5. The food holder of claim 1, wherein the elongate receptacle is configured to be hand-held.
 6. The food holder of claim 1, further comprising: a cover configured to be removably attached over the bottom-opening of the elongate receptacle.
 7. The food holder of claim 1, wherein the bottom-opening of the elongate receptacle is configured to facilitate removal of the food item.
 8. The food holder of claim 1, wherein the elongate receptacle is comprised of food grade plastic.
 9. A food support device configured for facilitating support of a food item, the food support device comprising: a compression retainer comprising an inner-surface and an outer-surface; and a plurality of depressible petals coupled to the inner-surface by at least one edge.
 10. The food support device of claim 9, wherein the outer-surface is configured for coupling with an inner-surface of an elongate receptacle.
 11. The food support device of claim 9, wherein the compression retainer is substantially circular.
 12. The food support device of claim 9, wherein the compression retainer is substantially rectangular.
 13. The food support device of claim 9, wherein the compression retainer is comprised of food grade plastic.
 14. A food holder comprising: an elongate receptacle comprising a top-opening and a bottom-opening; a compression retainer disposed within the elongate receptacle, the compression retainer comprising an aperture configured to receive a food item inserted into the elongate receptacle; and a cover removably coupled to the bottom-opening, wherein the cover is configured to facilitate removal of the food item from the elongate receptacle.
 15. The food holder of claim 14, wherein the compression retainer comprises an inner-surface; and a plurality of depressible petals fixed to the inner-surface, the plurality of depressible petals configured to be mechanically displaced upon insertion of the food item into the elongate receptacle.
 16. The food holder of claim 14, wherein a cross-section of the elongate receptacle is substantially circular.
 17. The food holder of claim 14, wherein a cross-section of the elongate receptacle is substantially rectangular.
 18. The food holder of claim 14, wherein the elongate receptacle is configured to be hand-held.
 19. The food holder of claim 14, wherein the top-opening is configured to facilitate insertion of the food item into the elongate receptacle.
 20. The food holder of claim 14, wherein the elongate receptacle, the compression retainer, and the cover are comprised of food grade plastic. 